Canadian tennis player Felix Auger-Aliassime was unable to advance past the first round of the National Bank Open in Montreal on Tuesday, falling to American Frances Tiafoe in straight sets.
The 21-year-old Montreal native, who was seeded sixth in the tournament, struggled to find his rhythm against Tiafoe, who is currently ranked 50th in the world. Despite putting up a strong fight, Auger-Aliassime was ultimately unable to overcome his opponent’s powerful serves and precise shots.
This loss marks the third consecutive year that Auger-Aliassime has been eliminated in the first round of the National Bank Open. However, he remains optimistic about his performance and is determined to continue improving his game.
In a post-match interview, Auger-Aliassime acknowledged that Tiafoe played a great match and gave credit to his opponent for his strong performance. He also expressed his disappointment in not being able to perform at his best in front of his hometown crowd.
In addition to Auger-Aliassime, fellow Canadians Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil also suffered early exits from the tournament. Shapovalov, who was seeded seventh, lost to Russian Karen Khachanov in three sets, while Pospisil was defeated by American Reilly Opelka in straight sets.
Despite these losses, Canadian tennis fans can still look forward to seeing some of their favorite players in action, as Milos Raonic and Bianca Andreescu are set to play their first matches on Wednesday.
The National Bank Open, formerly known as the Rogers Cup, is one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in Canada and attracts top players from around the world. This year’s event is being held at the IGA Stadium in Montreal and offers a total prize money of $2.83 million.
As the tournament continues, Canadian fans will undoubtedly be cheering on their remaining players and hoping for some exciting matches ahead.
